LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — The Laurel County Sheriff's Office said eight traffic collisions were reported over a single hour on Tuesday, with some involving injuries.
Sheriff John Root said on social media the crashes were due to rain in the area, and warned drivers that roads could be extremely slick when rain falls following a drought. Dry soil conditions can't saturate water as quickly as they can normally, allowing water to pool and possibly flood during rainfall.
"It is recommended that motorists exercise extreme caution and slow their speed down. In addition to the slippery surface, water is pooling on roadways and causing vehicles to hydroplane and lose control. Please exercise caution as rain is expected to continue through 4 p.m.," LCSO said on social media.
Drivers should drive slower than normal when roads are slick and should leave more room ahead of them in case they need to brake. Car lights should also be on in the rain, to give other vehicles better visibility.
